Ann Israel is the legal profession's Dear Abby. A New York legal recruiter since 1979, Ann is a past president of the National Association of Legal Search Consultants. Advice for the Lawlorn is updated every week.

Q: Do you think second- and third-tier law schools attempt to attract students by failing to paint an accurate portrayal of the job prospects of those not in the top 15? My experience is that they manipulate their job placement statistics. What are your thoughts?

-- Desperately Seeking Help

Dear Manipulated: Oh my, that is so Machiavellian. I hate to believe that the law schools out there are standing behind a curtain like some old Wizard of Oz, working together to manipulate statistics so that they might be able to fill their class ranks with unsuspecting students. How would it be possible for all of those law schools to fool around with their statistics, year after year, and graduates would never band together and stop the craziness?

There is no question that the schools want to portray the job prospects for their law school graduates as favorably as possible. But I really don't see how they can stretch them to a point where they are completely and utterly manipulated to total inaccuracy.

I do know that I hear from graduates over and over again that their law school's career services office has done absolutely nothing for them. But then when I question these individuals who complain about the lack of help from the career services offices, I generally find that the expectations have been unreasonable.

The career services offices definitely want to help in whatever way they can to get as many graduates and alumni into the best jobs possible. The statistics are formed directly out of their office. However, it is not their job to get everyone hired. Again, it is their job to help in whatever way they can. Each individual must get out there and do whatever they can do as well.

Right now we are going through a hiring crisis the likes of which we have never seen in our lifetime. It is going to be very difficult for every single law school graduate to get the job of their dreams. The law school career services office at each school is going to be going crazy trying to save their job statistics so that they will be able to attract new students for the upcoming years.

And so, if there is some manipulation going on with statistical numbers right now, I suppose I wouldn't be totally surprised. But let's face some facts -- if you are going to choose a law school based solely on how many of their graduates were able to get jobs upon graduation then you need to be doing your own due diligence before you sign the acceptance letter. All you need to do is go on the Internet and check out www.martindale.com to see how many graduates of a certain law school -- and their class year -- are working at any particular law firm. That's a really quick fact check that should take you about 10 minutes at the most to find out if the statistics are correct.

Call the career services office and ask them where their graduates are being placed -- find out if the graduates are going to law firms (and what kind of law firms they are working at) or if they are going to corporations or to government jobs. Do your own due diligence. If you are concerned that schools are manipulating figures just to get you to attend, don't rely on what they are telling you. Take it upon yourself to find out the truth!

Best wishes!

Sincerely,
Ann Israel
President, Ann Israel & Associates